Research articles describe research and creative projects in all the disciplines and are authored by undergraduate students working with an Inquiry editor. They should not exceed 2500 words (excluding bibliography). These articles are based on research reports or essays written for a course or independent study. Because of the relatively short length and general audience of research articles, their authors often choose to narrow or refocus their original text. The research experience is held to be as important as research results.
Understanding Macbeth: A Returning Soldier
—Christy Clothier (Mentor: Susanne Paterson)
Can we look at Shakespeare's Macbeth as a seventeenth-century version of today's soldiers returning from military service? Christy Clothier explores this unique view of a famous tyrant. About the author >>
Questioning the Lives of Kings: American Class Myths
—Lana Cook (Mentor: Sarah Sherman)
Three members of wealthy America write about their families and the myths they lived by. Through their eyes, Lana Cook explores our views of the upper class and how these views are shaped. About the author >>
Bioinformatics: Merging Computer Science and Genetics
—Lina Faller (Mentors: R. Daniel Bergeron and W. Kelley Thomas)
Lina Faller demonstrates the field of bioinformatics by using computer science to learn more about the genomes of fungi and bacteria. About the author >>
The Relationship of the Maya and Teotihuacan: A Mesoamerican Mystery
—Keith Ferguson (Mentor: William Saturno)
Were the ancient Maya subjugated or educated by the great city Teotihuacan? While studying in Guatemala, Keith Ferguson investigated the material culture of three ancient Maya sites in an attempt to answer this classic question in Mesoamerican history. About the author >>
Well Child Health Care in Wales: A Change of Setting, a Shift of Power
—Jennifer Herman (Mentor: Gene Harkless)
Jennifer Herman's interest in all aspects of human health led her to Wales to learn about community-focused well child health care. About the author >>
Fostering Musical Creativity in the Elementary Classroom
—Brian Miner (Mentor: Susan Hatfield)
How can elementary school music teachers best foster musical creativity in children? Brian Miner proposes some answers. About the author >>
Warts and All: The Fate of the American Toad
—Heather Moulton (Mentor: Kimberly Babbitt)
Continuing her exploration of the environmental importance of amphibians, Heather Moulton spent the summer in Maine observing toads in three distinct habitats along the Penobscot River. About the author >>
Quince Años: The Transition to Womanhood in Puerto Rican Culture
—Laura Louise Plummer (Mentor: Julia Rodriguez)
Laura Plummer spent a summer in Puerto Rico researching the tradition of the Quinceañera, a woman's coming of age celebration that continues to evolve. About the author >>
A Country on the Move: Realities, Reform, and the Future of Rural to Urban Migration in China
—Susannah Pratt (Mentor: Lawrence Reardon)
Susannah Pratt was so taken by her semester abroad in Shanghai that she decided to stay and conduct research with a Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF). Read about her experience studying the harsh realities for migrant workers living in one of China's most populous, growing cities. About the author >>
The Myth of Technological Progress
—Patrick Ryan (Mentor: David Hiley)
After reading the works of several major philosophers, Patrick Ryan shares his research and thoughts on the notion of progress and its relationship to technology. About the author >>
Investigating the Effect of Diet on Nutrient Concentration in Eggs: How Your Breakfast Might Be Healthier than You Think
—Gwen Stewart (Mentor: Joanne Curran-Celentano)
Is it possible to increase the concentration of certain nutrients in egg yolks by manipulating a chicken's diet? Gwen Stewart set out to answer this question with a research project focusing on two carotenoids known to benefit human health. About the author >>
An Ideal Approach to Global Warming
—Hannah Lee Varn (Mentor: Willem deVries)
Philosophy may be able to help discuss and make progress in solving real world problems. Here's the reasoning, according to Hannah Varn. About the author >>
Stress and Occupation: Summer Research on the Road
—Lindsey Wetteland (Mentor: Barbara P. White)
Have you ever thought about what you do daily and why? You should because it affects your health and stress levels. Lindsey Wetteland couldn't go to South Africa, so she turned to New England for her study of stress, health, and occupation. About the author >>
The Only Differences are the Words and the Sounds: Register Variation in Modern Written Icelandic
—Jim Wood (Mentor: Naomi Nagy)
Despite the obvious differences between languages, we use common linguistic features to signal our writing situation—be it a newspaper article, an E-mail, or a blog. In Jim Wood’s study of modern Icelandic, he considers register variation across linguistic barriers, shedding light on the similar ways humans use language. About the author >>
